1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a label having a cavity for receiving a circular or coin sized RFID device, and more particularly, to an apparatus and method of inserting the RFID device into the label cavity in a free floating fashion.
2. Description of the Related Art
The attachment of labels to cloth goods such as clothing, linens and towels is a common practice used to set forth information such as trademarks and trade names, material identification and characteristics, sizes, care instructions, and so forth. In addition, legal requirements necessitate the use of labels in clothing or on linens. A method and apparatus for producing individual folded labels from a ribbon of labels is presented in published PCT application WO 00/50239 and is incorporated in its entirety herein.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,827,817, incorporated in its entirety herein, discloses a folded label having radio frequency identification device (RFID) disposed therein. RFID tags typically consist of an antenna or a coil, to collect RF energy, and an integrated circuit (IC) which contains identification code or other information in its on-chip memory. The RFID device stores and transmits identifying information, such as inventory control, pricing control and the tracking of the origin of the merchandise.
Commercially available RFID tags generally operate at low frequencies, typically below 1 MHz. Many 13.56 and 915 MHz tags are currently commercially available in the market today. 915 Mhz tags are commercially available due to the current mandates by large retailers and the DOD requiring 915 Mhz tags on case goods for their larger suppliers. Although lower frequency devices are more common, a wide range of high frequencies are available, for example, 13.56 MHz, 915 MHz, 2.45 GHz and 5.6 GHz. Low frequency tags usually employ a multi-turn coil resulting in a tag having a thickness much greater than a standard sheet of paper. 2.45 GHz and 5.6 GHz can be done in a single turn or as a die pole antenna. High frequency passive RFID tags, which operate at around 2.54 GHz, typically consist of a single turn, flat antenna, printed onto a flat single layer sheet of plastic or paper.
The numerous different sized RFID tags can also take different shapes. The coin shaped tags can be a RFID tag encased in durable packaging. This packaging provides the tag with protection from a hostile environment that may other wise damage or destroy the tag. Environments such as heat, steam, chemicals, water and other acute demands. Due to the longevity this packaging provides such an RFID tag has the capability to survive many product life cycles.
A RFID tag embedded in a woven label is easily sewn onto a garment. This garment may be used at a garment rental facility or commercial laundry facility. After 40-50 wash cycles the garments quality and integrity is somewhat damaged from the environment it has been exposed to, however, the RFID tag embedded in the woven label is not effected. By embedding the RFID tag into the woven label, with out any permanent means such as adhesives or other attachment method that will combine the RFID tag and the woven carrier, the RFID tag can be removed without any damage or residue that could effect reprocessing of that RFID tag into another label. Thus, an RFID tag that is attachable without the use of adhesive, easily removed and reused by attaching it to another item or garment is also desirable.
As fully disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/143,842, commonly owned by the assignee of the present invention and incorporated in its entirety herein, a ribbon of labels with RF devices encapsulated therein can be subdivided into individual RF labels using ultrasonic means resulting in individual folded RF labels that are both soft to the touch, i.e., having edges that are generally scratchless to the apparel consumer, and capable of storing and transmitting identifying information and at the same time virtually free of defects.
It would be desirable to be able to produce labels incorporated with RF devices for storing and transmitting identifying information and that are more comfortable to the apparel customer than current labels. In addition, it is desirable to produce such labels at a higher speed and at a greater efficiency of production for both label and end product manufacturers, and with fewer defects than current methods.
Apparel items and other goods have certain identifying specifications that can be broken down into different factors and these factors contain certain options. Therefore, for example, apparel items are sorted at distribution centers by several factors, i.e., style, color, size, authenticity, date of manufacture, shipping instructions, contractor, etc. These factors can contain several options. A defining factor such as product color would contain several options, such as red, blue, and/or green. A defining factor such as size would contain several options, such as small, medium, large.
It would be useful at the point of sale or before to know and identify the date of manufacture, authenticity or season code of a given item. It also would be desirable to be able to account for the necessary identifying factors in a simplified, inexpensive manner to provide a record on the item as to its specification.
Another inconvenience the prior art labels having RFID devices is that the devices cannot be removed without destroying the label. RFID devices can be used to designate an individual's information, for example, in assigned uniforms. Thus, when a wearer returns his or her uniforms to an employer for cleaning, the RFID device can be used to identify the number of uniforms, etc., returned to an individual employee. The prior art RFID labels do not provide means to remove and reuse the RFID device.
Thus, there is a need to provide a comfortable label having a RFID device that can be removable and reused.